Tale As Old As Time
by KathyBoPeep
Summary: Both a little scared. Neither one prepared.
1. Tale As Old As Time

I've been writing this fic silently for a long while and I think I'm ready to post the prologue. I'm trying my damnedest to write it as best as I can, therefore updates may not come quickly. I appreciate all the feedback that I'm given, even if it is criticism. But, please don't be rude because this story is going to be long, and I am terrified of it being bad.

That being said, I present to you:

Tale As Old As Time.

* * *

People were put on this planet to do many things. Sometimes, they can go their whole lives without reaching their full potential. History had made a wonderful example of the opposite side of that situation by making people famous for their accomplishments in life. There are the carpenters, constructing buildings so tall that you can see them from miles away. Some folks make music, enriching the soul and bringing people together. Some dabble in art, painting scenes that make you remember things you've long forgotten. There are the storytellers, making us cry and laugh, sometimes all in the same paragraph. Some of life's greatest things were made by people who were given to this earth with one purpose: to Invent. That's what I am here for, I am here to invent.

I am Maurice Isles, and I pride myself of being an inventor of entire life has been a series of me dissassembling things, and making them better! I have invented my whirly-gig which makes a book flip its own pages; it's still it it's drafting stage though…the first model may have combusted a few weeks ago. I had a potential success with my sockerator, which was a machine that was meant to fold one's socks so they never left their mate. But, if left on too long your socks may catch fire…

My current invention I call the Whammer. It's like a hammer, but it uses brute force to crush things. So far, all I've gotten it to do is break repeatedly and ruin a few good chairs. I need just one creation that will make me rich and well known- maybe I would finally get some respect from this damned town. It would make my life easier; I'm getting rather old and my daughter does most of the hard labor now, all we live on is a the money she makes transcribing stories into books at the library. I know that she desperately wants to move on with her life, but she is just too sweet and kind to do anything of the sort. It's not like I'm relying solely on her, I have tried to dabble in other professions but, alas, none seemed to work for me. It just seems that I am someone who was meant to be a little…unconventional.

I have been a creator all of my life. I remember being around five years old and taking scraps of wood and metal from my father's workbench. I would mold them together and create things no one had ever heard of. I got in quite a bit of trouble in my teens for dismantling every piece of machinery that I could, only to learn how to reassemble it…nearly correct. How you do really know how something works unless you've put it back together a few times? I've kept this thought tucked into my memory since the day I'd realized it. It's ensured that I stayed alive through some trying times I've had. I have faith that one day I shall

I rose from my chair, where I'd been doodling the guts to my Whammer. I only needed to improve a few key elements in the initial design, maybe tweak the bolts a bit. When Maura is back from her daily trip to the library, I'll ask her to check it over; maybe the error is in the measurements I've made. She's very good with things like that- number and fractions, she was always the brains the family. I feel bad for her now because she's taken more and more of the chores around the house. My body is wearing down, and I know that with the coming winter that my body will eventually slow down. I just can't seem to tell Maura that this could be our last winter together.

It's getting very cold now, and the holes in the roof need patched. In my prime, I would have been able to climb the furniture and throw some hay in the opening to temporarily stop the wretched draft. But, my knees hurt so often nowadays, that I wouldn't even be able to lift a bale of hay without being in bed for a week.

This cabin used to be my pride and joy; I had my wife, Constance, and soon after we married, we had little baby Maura. We decorated this place with little bits of art and love, making it an extension of our family. I remember Constance used to take Maura's footprints and paste them on things to make little steps around the ground. Our walls were filled with baby scribbles, and little tokens from her childhood. When my wife left us to "pursue her dreams" in France, it broke our hearts. Maura went from being a exuberant child with dreams so big that her little head couldn't even process them, to a quiet introvert- void of emotions. Her family was her happy place because she doesn't make friends that easily- she's not very well read in social situations. Maura has an emotional tie to literature and science, not people and things. She always has her nose in a book, reading about planets and other countries. She doesn't much like the reality she's settled in so she's more or less created her own.

Maura is my little burst of sunshine on a rainy day; she is the fireplace in the middle of winter and she's the breeze in the summer. She is always there to rub my hands when they ache, or read the newspaper to me when the print is too small. I truly do not know where I would be without her and it pains me daily to think of her suffering when I'm gone. I don't understand why there isn't a person out there who can think that intelligence and curiosity is an admirable trait in a partner. I know that dear, sweet Maura is not only looking at the boys and frankly, I'm okay with that. She is a beautiful soul and someone will be lucky to be married to her someday.

She's quite a beauty and the people in this town are very taken with her…when she doesn't speak. All she speaks of are equations and chemical balances, which can scare some of the lesser smart folk off. What kind of partner wants to hear what their dinner is composed of? Not many I'm afraid to say. I just want her to be happy, for I won't be gracing this wonderful planet much longer. My hair has all dissipated and my joints protest at even the slightest jostle. My time here is limited and I just want my daughter to be set for life. I can't be worrying all the way into the afterlife anyways.

I think I hear her angelic voice singing down the road, forever off key. I wonder if she had a good day at work. She is always getting distracted by some new book they've received. I won't tell a soul, but I think she's a sucker for those romance novels too. I think it's just the thought of a wedding that has her so intrigued. She can talk about weddings for hours on end, but she won't even say more than a salutation to any of the men in this town. Honestly, I think she would rather socialize with the ladies, but that is a crime punishable by hanging. She just isn't cut out for this kind of place, she's just a big soul in a little town full of little people.

So long as she's cared for, I don't mind who loves my daughter. Someone who appreciates all of her little quirks, and makes her the very best that she could be. I honestly don't even know if she will ever find happiness, but I will spend the rest of my time on this earth fighting for her.


	2. True As It Can Be

**don't get used to daily updates :p**

**Leave me some thoughts! Even if it's mostly written, I still listen to all the ideas given to me :D!**

* * *

The sound of a slow banging on the door wove its way through the rooms of the Rizzoli castle. It floated over golden busts of rulers, behind original paintings, and underneath the luxurious carpet. The sound of raindrops hitting the castle windows had long lulled everyone to sleep. To the naked eye, this castle was full of royalty- wealthy and unaware of the dangers in the world. But, if you really knew who resided in this establishment, you would question everything.

* * *

"BOOM!"

"BOOM!"

"BOOM!"

A furious pounding yanked Jane Rizzoli out of her glorious dream. She had started to read a novel in the library and the storm had lulled the exhausted princess to sleep. She had spent the whole afternoon building a fire pit in the backyard. She'd only stopped when it became too dark for her to see. Her mistake was thinking that she could relax in her chair for just an hour, which consequently led to an impromptu nap in the library.

Her dream was most pleasant: consisting of diamonds, rubies, and gold; dreaming of wealth always put Jane in a great mood considering hers was fairly new. She should have retired to bed hours ago, but she had insisted on reading some of the books in the library. She scolded herself and rubbed her back where an ache had formed from sitting in the same spot for about six hours. It seemed that with each passing day, more and more aches and pains showed up in her body. Her ma was always telling her that she wouldn't be in her 20's forever and that she should take care of the bones she was blessed to have.

After the incessant knocking became too much for her head, Jane stormed down the stairs, into the main hall and yanked open the heavy wooden door. There had better be a good reason for someone not answering the door. She had workers to do this very thing- where the hell were they? The door groaned when it was opened, Jane used a bit of force to swing it open further. On the other side was a haggard beggar most likely from one of the poorhouses down the road. Clad in dull, sopping rags and some things that might pass for shoes, her dirty blonde hair hung in chunks over a dirt stained face. She might have been a looker if she'd bathed recently. Jane cringed at the thought, why would she even think of someone in this state as an attractive being? She had been there once- but she'd managed a bath once or twice a week. Jane didn't much care for pleasantries, she wanted someone to tell her why this woman was waking her up in the middle of the night for a simple rain storm.

"Yes?" Jane said, rolling her eyes "Did you need something...ma'am?" Jane's contempt for this disturbance was becoming steadily more obvious. If she didn't get the answer that she wanted soon, she would slam the door and go back to her lovely dream. Her bed was calling out to her like a lonesome lover.

The woman just shivered, her tiny body was too cold and wet to do anything other than point behind Jane and give a questioning look. Jane's eyes widened in surprise, and her mouth formed words that never quite made it to the surface. This...beggar wanted inside her castle? What had this...creature done to deserve this kind of luxury? Surely this person knew that kindness comes with a price. It's not like people were just handed nice things without working for them.

"Pl-Please, it's frightfully cold, and my body cannot withstand weather like this. I normally sleep under the benches in the park, but they're already taken and muddy. I don't have anything to pay you with, but I'll never forget a favor paid to me." The woman's chapped lips cracked over her rotting teeth (tooth?). Her eyes were bloodshot, making Jane furious. Was she a drunk? Did she not have the self respect to spend her meager money on anything but alcohol?

"You want in my castle, in my home? Why? What have you done to earn being in here?" Jane sputtered, the vein on the side of her head showing just how offended she was at this low life attempt at free shelter. Her long brown locks bounced with the ferocity with which she asked each question. Jane was appalled at how much this stranger was asking her for. She couldn't take chances like this- what if she was robbed?

Suddenly, Jane had a picture of her life before her riches pop into her head and felt nauseous at the thoughts she had just been having. She remembered what it was like to be poor and do what this very woman was doing on her castle front. Her eyes darted to behind the shivering form in her door and her face softened the tiniest bit. What would her mother say about treating someone this way? It's not like she'd been born into riches, she used to be there. Why would she act like that towards someone who was just asking for help. She was grumpy from being woken up, but that was no excuse for being so rude and uncaring. She opened her mouth to invite the woman in; maybe they could work out a deal in exchange for labor. Before any words tumbled out of the princess' mouth, the beggar snarled with her crooked smile and threw dust in Jane's eyes, rendering her temporarily blind.

She swung blindly at the woman but felt nothing but air. Her eyes burned so badly, that she had started to see bursts of colors and shapes, even though they were closed. She flung herself around and felt her arm connect with a vase, sending it's contents to the floor. A low growl came out of Jane's mouth as she lunged to what she assumed was the frail woman, and then collided with the still-open door.

She felt someone grab onto her collar and throw her aside. She crumpled to the floor as everything around her dimmed and eventually turned black.


	3. Barely Even Friends

**you all had better love me, I have to work early tomorrow :)**

* * *

Jane stirred slightly and felt a terrible pain in her head. She also felt what seemed like little bits of sand all over her face. She roared angrily and rubbed angrily at the little specks in her eyes- which only seemed to worsen the problem. When she finally cleared her vision, she opened her eyes and jumped. There stood a woman before her in billowing purple robes, coupled with extravagant jewellry.. What was this sorcery, was Jane still asleep and having a terrible nightmare? What happened to the beggar at the door?

"Princess, may I come in now?" The woman laughed and floated into the castle, flicking her hand to the open door, which closed on command. "Now you'll let me, a beautiful woman, into your castle? Who cared when I was a woman in need, a woman who was just like you were? What kind of person does something like that? Then you question my motive for entering? Would you ask your mother the same thing? Would you?" The woman taunted Jane. "I know that your family sleeps in this castle, shall we ask them?" The blonde woman's bright green eyes burned bright as Jane's heart dropped, no one knew of her family here. She heard her Ma scream out in pain and jumped to her feet. She wasn't a very steady just yet, but she tried her best to make it to the stairs.

"MA! I'M COMING, HOLD ON!" Jane bellowed, nearly in tears. Whoever this evil woman was, she surely loved to see Jane in pain. Her face contorted into an evil grin as the yells from upstairs intensified.

As soon at the yelling started, the enchantress gracefully motioned her hand in an intricate pattern. The whole castle seemed to stop as an eerie silence blanketed them. Jane ran up the stairs, taking two at a time. She tangled her legs into the lush carpet she cursed herself for having, and nearly fell back down the stairway. She regained her balance and leapt up the remainder of the stairway, sprinting as fast as she could. When she reached her mother's room, she saw she cried out at the sight before her.

Angela Rizzoli, who was bathed in an eerie jade color, was suspended above her bed looking like she was dealing with so much pain, that she had just given up. Her pajamas hung loose from being woken from her deep slumber. She opened her eyes and started to cry at the sight of her daughter, who sporting many wounds herself. The green light became too bright and a burst of energy made Angela shut her eyes again. She felt wind whip around her body and felt a silken fabric around her face. She had no idea what was happening. She opened her eyes and stopped breathing, suddenly everything was much bigger than it was before.

Jane opened her eyes after the burst of light and watched in horror as her mother disappeared momentarily, only to reappear in the shape of a lavender teapot.

Angela cried out and tried to run away only to realize that she indeed had no feet, only a bottom decorated with gems and sparkles. She tried to grab out for her daughter once again realizing that had no arms, only a spout and handle. She hopped over to her full-length mirror a cried out in horror at her appearance. The only thing that she could see was a teapot that looked just like the one she'd had on her bedside table. What was happening?

"Janie, Janie! What h-mrmhrmgh" Angela cried as her mouth was magically muted. She then opted to give the most angered look she could manage. Jane just stared wide-eyed at her mother, who only gave her a pointed look like she'd somehow caused this whole thing.

Oh, she had.

Wait, if her Ma had been subjected to this, what about her brothers? The thought of someone hurting her brothers made Jane's blood boil. She was not above killing someone to protect her family .

Jane turned and ran to Tommy and Frankie's rooms down the hall. Tears of fury blew past her while she sprinted to the other side of the castle, cursing her many wings for the first time. She nearly ripped the door off its hinges as she ran into Tommy's room. She skidded to a stop as she saw nothing in his bed. Had he snuck out of the castle again?

Jane frantically searched his room until she spotted a little indent in his blankets. There in the middle of the king sized bed, Jane found a plate that matched her mother's pattern sleeping in her brother's normal spot, the dent from his head still on the pillow. She cursed herself for immediately thinking the worst of the youngest Rizzoli. Jane picked him up and shook him, trying to wake him up. He was warm to the touch, so he was at least alive.. He also felt like a plate that was freshly washed, something she never thought she would ever say. Tiny snores escaped from the front, where Jane assumed his face would be once he opened his eyes.

She tucked him under her robed arms and ran next door screaming for Frankie all the way. A tiny little voice escaped as Jane looked down her expensive carpet just in time to avoid stepping on the tiniest little teacup. She managed to jump over it, barely kicking the side instead of crushing it. She tumbled holding the plate close to her to keep her sleeping brother safe. Suddenly the little cup bounced over to Jane and came nose to...handle, knocking itself in the princess' nose.

"Damn it Jane, you broke my nose. I swear to god that if you hit me again I'm gonna…" the cup demanded.

"Frankie? Is that you? You're a CUP" Jane yelled in anguish. "What is happening around here?"

Before Frankie got a chance to answer, Jane scooped him up and jumped back onto her feet. She once again ran the path to her Mother's room. Her mother was still in front of the mirror, silently crying as she surveyed her surroundings. She hugged her brothers as close as she could, they were vulnerable and needed to be protected.

When Jane reached her mother's room, she bent over and gulped deep breaths of air.

"Ma, Ma! I'm gonna fix this okay?" Jane cried, setting her brothers down on rug next to her mother, careful not to hurt her siblings. As soon as they hit the carpet, Jane raced downstairs to find the enchantress sitting at the foot of the stairs, making her furniture spin around and crash together. The bigger the mess that she created, the heartier she laughed. She turned to Jane and smiled with her big green eyes.

"Are you happy now Princess? I've cleaned your castle for you"


	4. Then Somebody Bends

The art on the walls turned to paintings of death and torture and the stained glass windows turned into barred cement windows. Plush carpet morphed into stone while the faint yellow light from all of the candles blew out and were replaced by cold, blue lights. The entire castle was bathed in eerie, malevolent darkness. The evil woman admired her handiwork, surveying the empty castle. Step by step, she let her evil eyes roam over the newly remodeled fortress. When she reached Jane a few moments later, she put a hand on either shoulder and met the woman eye to eye. The raven haired princess shivered when she looked into the cold black eyes of the evil woman. She felt an insurmountable pain within her chest and saw the brightest of white lights seeping its way into her vision. The woman's voice boomed off the walls and rang throughout the silent castle, bouncing off stone walls that let nothing pass.

"YOU NEED TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT LIFE LITTLE JANE RIZZOLI. YOU CANNOT JUDGE BASED UPON WHAT YOU PRESUME TO BE CORRECT IN YOUR OWN MIND. I SHALL TEACH YOU A LESSON. I CURSE YOU TO REMAIN ON THIS EARTH AS A HIDEOUS BEAST. YOU SHALL BE HATED BY HUMANITY AND YOU WILL BE UNHAPPY FOREVER."

Jane looked down and saw her hands morph into large brown paws, her nails turning into sharp claws. Looking further down, she saw her normally thin dark legs were now large and covered in fur. The pain was so great that the princess felt she would pass out at any moment. Were her bones breaking? Jane, in one last act of defiance, grabbed the enchantress with her awkward paws and tried to strike her in the face. The woman had predicted Jane's attack and simply waved a hand, which caused Jane to pitch very hard against the cement of the stairs.

Jane crumpled into a hideous heap, her head bouncing off the stairs like an Indian rubber ball as she tumbled down the castle stairs with sickening "thumps" and "cracks". When she hit the bottom landing, she looked to the enchantress with blurry eyes and was silent as she was rendered unconscious.

_Jane looked around and saw a fleet of wooden cabins littering a lonely dirt road. Children played outside with sticks and broken dolls, blissfully ignorant to the world around them. Why was she back here again? This was the road she grew up on- where she had truly learned that you are nothing in this world without money. She walked down the dirt path surveying all of the abandoned housing that was around. It seemed to much sadder now that she understood that empty houses meant that people had died. Whether it was poverty, disease, or just accidents, this side of town was fading quickly. _

_The Rizzoli's were poor- so poor that their father had left them for another woman nearly Jane's age because her parents promised him a well-paying job. Jane's mother, Angela, was near due with baby Tommy, and could not bear to be on her feet more than a few minutes. Frankie was only just a boy and Jane was nearing the middle of her adolescence. Jane had stepped up and had gotten a job hauling hay for Old Farmer Charles at the end of town but he was not a nice fellow. He always made a habit of brushing up against her and sneaking glances when she would stop for some water after all of that hard work._

_He tried to kiss her once, when she was caught taking a nap in one of the haystacks that she was supposed to be moving. He threatened to fire her and she had pleaded to do anything to keep her job. By now, Tommy was a newborn and they were struggling badly. She was thinking maybe a triple shift, or maybe less wages, but the perverted old man had other plans. _

_Old Farmer Charles had just wiggled his furry white eyebrows and smiled with that disgusting gap toothed smile he had. When Jane had pushed him away, he grabbed for her, nearly accosting her. She took off at the speed of light and ran all the way to the wagon that Angela had let her use for transportation since the mother never left the small cabin anymore. Jane clipped the horses back onto the wagon and they took off._

_Jane had never driven the wagon this fast before and was trying her best to keep it all under control. She was bouncing off the wood so hard that she was sure that she would break through each time. The trees whipped her face, slicing her cheeks and ears. She decided to stray into the forest a bit, where the path would lead to the back of her cabin. She didn't want the lecherous old man to find out where she lived. Suddenly, a man walked right into the road, disappearing under the wagon with a sickening "crack!"_

_Jane skidded to a stop, nearly breaking a wheel off the wagon and jumped down in a hurry. She ran over to the man, who smelled terribly of alcohol and tobacco and was wearing a silk robe that most likely cost more than her house. He was still breathing but blood trickled out of his mouth. What should she do? If she stayed here much longer, the farmer would catch up to her. But, if she left this man, he would surely die. She ran in the direction the man had come and saw nothing but a large line of bushes lining what seemed to be a large castle. She tried to run from end to end of the bushes, but the line seemed eternal. Finally she stopped and tried to think clearly. _

_Nodding to herself, she figured that she needed to try and help the man herself. She bolted back out onto the dirt road and looked both way for anyone who could assist her. Jane tried to speak to the man but it was too late, he was dead. His deep blue robe had been stained with blood and the yellow crest on the front had been tinted orange. He was not breathing anymore, and his neck was bent a bit off kilter. She had killed a man. But, it wasn't her fault! She turned back to the wagon and thought about her options. She decided to drag the dead man to the side of the road and pretend nothing had happened. _

_She had hidden the man on the side of the road, under some branches, and tried her best to navigate the wagon home with a cracked wheel. She had been reprimanded and punished for ruining the family transportation and for quitting her job. Her mother never knew about the unwanted advances that Old Farmer Charles had made on her daughter. If Angela had ever known that her child was subjected to that kind of treatment, she would have tried to find work and made her daughter watch her little brothers. The young girl just could not handle that much guilt in one day. _

_Jane had not slept that night; the sound of the man's neck breaking replayed in her head until the birds sang joyfully the next morning. She said a prayer every night for him, maybe someday she would be forgiven. Until then, she would think of him every single day so she never forgot how horrible she was for killing a man and then hiding him, even if she hadn't meant to. _


	5. Unexpectedly

When Jane awoke, she was lying across her armchair in the library. She shook her head at the terrible flashback she had about her past and stood up to stretch out. 'Man, what a freaking nightmare. Why did I think of that now, nearly five years later?' Jane thought to herself. An unfamiliar beacon of pale pink light caught her attention. She couldn't see from that far away, so she rose to her feet and investigated further. After a few large steps, she realized that suspended within the glass enclosure, was a rose. Perfect pink petals led into the green malicious looking thorny stem. She took a few steps closer and noticed out of the corner of her eye, there was movement over by her mirror. She looked to the left as a large hulking figure advanced and she gasped. How did that-

oh

She was staring into the mirror. Was this a nightmare? Has she really been turned into the most hideous creature ever? She was disgusting! Her clumsy clawed hands felt her furry atrocious face, looking for a seam to take this costume off. Her robe had been ripped into shreds, leaving her bare chested and vulnerable. It laid by the chair, ripped to shreds. She balked for a bit, realizing that she was naked- in theory. . It didn't really matter because she didn't look human at all; she looked like a hideous beast. Where there used to be supple curves now lie matted fur and tough skin. Where her wavy raven hair should have been, there was a brown mane that looked like a street canine. She could hear the raindrops outside, and smell the lavender in the backyard. She ceased all thoughts for a moment and realized that even if her eyesight had faded, all of her other senses had been heightened exponentially.

Suddenly, all Jane could see was red -she was furious. With a burst of newfound strength, she threw an arm out shattering the mirror into tiny shards of glass. The beast whipped around and backhanded all the belongings off of her desk, sending photos and trinkets to the floor in a depressing heap. She punched the mirror, the glass cutting into her brown wrinkled skin. She wailed, or rather roared. Not used to her own voice, Jane was startled so violently that she backed into a corner and crouched down. Her vision focused on the pristine rose- it had to be tied to this somehow. She crept slowly towards the case, walking around it a few times to inspect the glass. There were no strings holding up the rose within the container. She couldn't spot where the beam of light was coming from, only that it came from within the glass. She poked at the glass tentatively and yelped when she felt a shock burn her hand..er, paw.

"Now, now, you disgusting Beast" the evil woman's voice thundered around the room. "That rose is your timeline; do not destroy it. If you cannot find someone to love you for who you are by the time the last petal falls from that rose, you will forever be cursed to walk this lonely earth as the ugly animal you are" The silhouette of the evil enchantress floated around the room, never actually solidifying.

The beast roared as loud as it could and ran out of the room into the hallway. The whole castle looked drab and dark. The very home that had comforted her was now a dungeon keeping them locked away. Stomping down the dark hallway wallowing in self-pity, the Beast realized that its family had also been cursed. With large and lumbering steps, it ran down the hallway, ripping at the carpet with razor sharp claws and knocking every piece of art that hung sadly from the walls with clumsy swings. When the monster made it to Angela's bedroom, it bounded through the door scaring Angela and the brothers so badly, that they all jumped and clinked against each other. Angela was shaking so violently in fear, that her lid was bouncing all about, nearly chipping her lid. Tommy tried too hard to roll away that he fell and rolled underneath a chiffarobe while Frankie just stood still, frozen in fear. He finally scrunched up his eyes and waited for the impending stomp that would surely end his life.

"Ma, Frankie, Tommy, are you guys okay?" the monster's voice boomed throughout the room, making the paintings on the wall shake and a few trinkets tumble.

"Janie?" Angela yelled, hopping towards the large Beast, hoping that it was indeed her daughter. She had been afraid for her daughter, she'd assumed that wretched enchantress has hurt her..or worse.

"We've been cursed, and it's all my fault" Jane wailed as she sat down in one of the chairs, breaking it on contact. She then sat on the floor and started to cry, her fur matted from her salty tears and her low voice was catching with emotion. Her awkward paws rubbed her beady eyes as she wailed, which sounded more like a howl. Her sorrowful gaze landed on her family: they were cursed to be kitchen items all because of her. Had anyone else in her castle been affected too? It's not the castle's fault that she was selfish and uncaring.

Frankie finally came to his senses and hopped towards Jane. He settled next to her furry leg and said in his tiny squeaky voice "It's okay Janie, we'll help you as much as we can. What will break ...whatever this is? There's always a catch- just don't tell me that it involves you cooking, because we know that wouldn't work." Frankie tried his best to lighten the mood, even if the chip in his head was starting to ache a bit.

"I have to fall in love, and have someone love me for who I am" the Beast lamented, letting out a deep breath that nearly knocked Tommy, who had finally wiggled out from under the furniture, back under where he had just come from.

"Oh gosh Jane, that's going to tough" Angela whispered as she tried to wipe away the tears that was dripping down her porcelain face. She, as a mother, wanted nothing more than to hug her child right now. She had big dreams for her daughter, and they'd all been ruined. No one could love a beast like this- especially one who acted like Jane. She'd been telling her for years that her attitude was slowly going downhill, and to remember where she had come from. They hadn't always lived with wealth and nice things- and she ought to remember that when trying to gain a partner.

"I know Ma, I know." Jane cried harder knowing that no one could love a wretched thing like her. She would be stuck like this forever. There wasn't much hope for Jane Rizzoli the human to find love, let alone Jane the Beast. She would be stuck in this body forever because she decided to throw manners aside and act like she was not human like the rest of the world, so she would spend the rest of her days longing to be that very same human, forever.


	6. Just a Little Change

"Achoo!"

"Bless you!"

"Thank you" Maura blushed at Mr. Thomas- the librarian- for this well wishes. He was quite the gentleman and was very polite to all of his customers. All the girls in town talked about his golden hair and charming smile, but Maura knew that inside, he was also a wonderful person. Maura, on the other hand, admired his wit and intelligence- characteristics that were very underappreciated in this town. Rarely do you meet someone around these parts who was interested in anything but farming, or gambling their lives only odd thing about Mr. Thomas though, was that he rarely spoke; making noise in his library was forbidden. So naturally, out of habit, he was just a quiet person. When he spoke though, oh gosh, you'd better listen. His words were intelligent and wise, and boy- Maura sure loved when he spoke of science and happenings around the world; his passion for knowledge was inspiring!

* * *

Mrs. Thomas ran his library wonderfully, and Maura did not want to seem like she didn't appreciate the job that she was given, so she followed his rules as closely as she could manage. She loved her job, and Mr. Thomas knew that. He didn't have to pay her for something she had already been doing voluntarily. Working for pay was something she only recently needed to do, her father was very sick and could not provide for them as well as he had before. So, she'd taken position as the town scribe and boy was she learning a lot about the history of the people who resided here!

Every week the blonde would sit down with a different person in the town and transcribe any family stories they had. Books were so wondrous and useful that they had changed history, and Maura wanted to be part of that history! So she did everything in her power to make everything easy and accessible for everyone. She even went as far as to write down recipes from the local baker- a very talented baker from France- and made copies for everyone in his family. The chef also told tales of whirlwind romances in languages she didn't even understand, but understood in a different way. It was a great way for Maura to learn without bothering the townsfolk with her curiosity.

Today she was technically not working; she had just come in to check out her favorite book even though she had just returned it four days prior. It was an exciting and marvelous book, it wasn't her fault that she'd fallen in love with it the minute she'd opened it! The dark blue cover even had permanent wear marks in the shape of Maura's hands from gripping it so tightly when lost herself in the yellowed pages. It had a swordfight, a magic beanstalk, and a magical princess who saved towns by moonlight- everything she could possibly imagine! She was always fond of stories that portrayed females as the strong leads that they were. They didn't need "knights in shining armor" or "noble men" who swooped in and saved the day. So long as a woman had the drive and courage to do whatever she wanted, she would be invincible! They needed women who loved on their own time and schedule. Princesses who wore armor; who were daring and brave, maybe even ...maybe even...unwed? They didn't have to marry someone to be considered a citizen...in Maura's perfect world at least. It was so incredibly easy to lose yourself in the wondrous words that validated every thought you have ever had. She was an outcast at 18, she had no husband or suitors to speak of. It wasn't that she disliked the prospect of dating, she just didn't enjoy anyone she'd met so far.

Maura jumped when she felt a touch on her shoulder. She whipped around to find Mr. Thomas with a silly grin on his face. He looked at the book she was clutching to her chest and laughed quietly. There was a special quality in Maura Isles that not another soul possessed; she formed a special bond with books instead of humans. She chose to live within the pages of mystery and romance rather than start her own family. But, as a librarian, Mr. Thomas could understand how easily one could get lost within their own mind. Books didn't speak ill of you when your back is turned nor would they steal your food, or burn down your village. Books wouldn't leave you, if you never left them. Maura needed literature in her life otherwise she was nothing but a mere soul barely living in a town too small for her big dreams.

"You know Maura" the librarian whispered "If you like the book that much, you can have it. You check it out so often, that I don't think anyone even realizes that we have it"

Maura turned red and shook her head slowly "You don't need to do that, Mr. Thomas. I can just put it ba-"

"No Maura, I want you to have it. Take it as a 'thank you' from the town! You and your father have gone through the ringer, and this damned town hasn't helped one bit" the man bowed a bit, pushing the blue frayed book back into Maura's chest. He only wanted to make her happy. She was such a bright ray of sunshine in this dreary town full of storm clouds. It truly made him happy to see something nice done for her.

"Thank you Mr. Thomas, thank you ever so much" hazel eyes shined with tears of gratitude. No one was ever nice to Maura like the nice gentleman had been to her.

Mr. Thomas just waved it off and walked away smiling, glad to have made Maura happy if only for a little while. Maura just beamed and ran out of the library, dancing and twirling her dress around. The sun was shining down on her face, warming her rose tinted cheeks. She skipped around, clutching the book to her chest and making sure to throw a bright smile at every person she saw. If she could make someone as happy as she was right now, her whole day would be made!


End file.
